Hot 20: Reader's Choice Winner!

HOT. The word carries so many meanings: passionate, sizzling, trendy, intense, and yes, sexy. But for us, it signals our favorite month. Meet the 20 movers and shakers that have us fired up this year.

When we asked our online readers to nominate their favorite Bay Area mover and shaker, it became clear that Jake Wall has quite the following.

The co-founder and chief designer of Artful Gentleman blurs gender lines in his creation of sleek and edgy suits and clothing for both men and women. During a private style session, Wall gets to know his clients, then guides them through the process of creating a premium, made-to-measure outfit including custom fabric and personalized details.

One reader describes Wall as “an entrepreneurial, risk-taking, fashion-forward, gender-affirming, detail-oriented, unparalleled designing superstar and a huge supporter of the LGBT community.” However, the SoMa resident sees himself differently. “Because I am the very definition of a nerd, my greatest weekly escape is picking up comic books from Isotope Comic Lounge in Hayes Valley and diving into a world of stories that I’ve been reading since I was 6 years old.”

So what can we expect next from Wall? “Stay tuned for Ministry of Makers,” he teases without further explanation. “When it comes to style, I’ll be giving you something you never knew you wanted.”